With 82 home games a year, the ground staff for the Boston Red Sox work hard to ensure that when the umpire shouts ‘Play Ball’, fans and players alike get the best experience possible.

Since Fenway Park is an open air field, team officials need to keep a close eye on changing weather conditions. Lightning is a real concern, as it can strike with lethal force out of the blue, up to 10 miles from the centre of a storm cell.

That’s a risk David Mellor, Director of Grounds, isn’t willing to take. But with cancelled games meaning both higher costs and lost revenue, only one thing is worse than having to cancel a game for a storm. And that’s cancelling a game for a storm that never hits.

'The weather impacts how we staff and what jobs we do that day. It can even impact if a game’s being played.'
-David Mellor (right), Director of Grounds for the Boston Red Sox

The solution

Improved weather forecasting with Schneider Electric WeatherSentry Services provides precision data about precipitation, wind, dew point, shade, heat, and lightning--all factors that impact how the players and coaches approach the game, and the safety of both players and fans.

Accuracy is imperative. Bad forecasts affect performance and results, which can cost the Red Sox millions of dollars.

So the Red Sox rely on the consistency and reliability in data and consultations from WeatherSentry Services to assess weather conditions including the likelihood, severity, and timing of rain to optimize the home game experience for fans and minimize costs associated with delays or cancellations.

Schneider Electric WeatherSentry Services with Lightning Manager helps sports organizations to implement best practices for turf lightning safety: monitor lightning in real time as it approaches as well as set up custom advisory and warning zones up to 60 miles from a location.